Ep: 1881 Michael Guilding - Fear in the Therapy Room

For millions of therapists—and millions of people in therapy—the experience is familiar: shortness of breath, a racing heart, and sweaty palms. When we perceive a threat, our bodies naturally activate fight-or-flight responses, both physically and behaviorally. This protective fear system is simply the nervous system doing what it is designed to do. When a client’s fear system goes into overdrive, the therapist responds, resonating with what is happening in the room, much like strings on an instrument. The question is not how to prevent this response, but how to use it. Michael Guilding shows how understanding, rather than suppressing, our own fear responses can make us better healers. Clear, jargon-free, and grounded in clinical experience, his book is written for therapists but speaks to anyone who cares for others or wants to live with less fear and greater freedom. He has worked as a counselor and psychotherapist for 30 years.